Observations from the Little Bunker
A systematic observation of climate change, extreme weather events, and their cascading effects on society
🌍 Latest Environmental Observations
Energy transition towards photovoltaic and wind mitigates trade-offs between energy water use and irrigation in the Yellow River Basin
Reconciling societal water needs and ecosystem services is integral to sustainable development in big river basins. Renewable energy such as photovoltaic (PV) and wind power...
Divergent effects of climate factors on yield and area in Sub-Saharan Africa’s maize production
Weather extremes are increasingly threatening food security across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where maize serves as a critical staple for millions of smallholder farmers. While most...
Analysis: EVs just outsold petrol cars in EU for first time ever
Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) overtook petrol cars in the EU for the first time in December 2025, according to new figures released by industry...
Assessing climate-related non-economic loss and damage and rethinking the relation between L&D and adaptation
The international discourse on loss and damages (L&Ds) under the climate convention is ongoing. Significant attention has been given to a dedicated fund to assist...
A Bayesian network analysis on the interactions of flood resilience measures in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta
The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is a critical agricultural region but is highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, particularly flooding. Nevertheless, flood...
Through the heatwave haze, the hypocrisy of Australia’s fossil fuel policy shines bright | Clean Air
The heatwave in Melbourne and Adelaide this week is likely to become the norm. We should prepare nowWant to get this in your inbox when...
Diagnosing the representation of surface and layered soil moisture in Earth system models
Surface soil moisture (mrsos) and vertically integrated soil moisture (mrsol) over the top 10 cm should, by definition, be physically consistent in Earth System Models...
Afforestation and reforestation have varying biodiversity impacts across and within biomes
Afforestation and reforestation (AR) are effective strategies for large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and climate change mitigation, as they offer the potential to sequester vegetation...
‘Abdication’: Trump formally takes US out of Paris climate agreement for a second time
Experts are watching for how other countries will react as the ‘real economy’ shifts to cheaper, cleaner energyThe United States has officially exited the Paris...
‘The land will be left as ashes’: why Patagonia’s wildfires are almost impossible to stop
Funding cuts, conspiracy theories and ‘powder keg’ pine plantations have seen January’s forest fires tear through Chubut in southern Argentina Lucas Chiappe had known for...
Evaluation of daily gridded climate products using in situ FLUXNET data and tree growth modeling
Gridded climate data products have facilitated research in climate and ecology by providing meteorological data continuously across large spatial scales. However, the sensitivity of scientific...
A satellite-based assessment of ERA5 soil moisture and land surface temperature interannual co-variability
Land surface temperature provides a fingerprint of the surface energy balance. Under similar radiative forcing, particularly during daytime and clear-sky conditions, its temporal variability is...
Winter wheat improves soil carbon sequestration with reduced gains in warmer climates
Sustainable agricultural intensification requires a precise understanding of how land use decisions influence soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration under varying environmental conditions. We apply causal...
Are there lightning fires in the Brazilian Amazon?
The Brazilian Amazon contains approximately 40% of the world’s tropical rainforest and plays a critical role in preserving biodiversity and regulating water, energy and carbon...
The ‘Biggest Tragedy’ of Trump’s Gutting of the National Park Service
Charles F. Sams III, former director of the park service, says cutting nearly a quarter of the agency’s staff decimated institutional knowledge in a way...
Scientists Push for More Ambitious Climate Targets
Researchers say a line has been crossed. For systems like coral reefs and ice sheets, the climate is already past safe.By Bob BerwynResearchers say a...
The EPA wants to eliminate one of the few ways that tribes can protect their water
Earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal to revise the Clean Water Act, specifically a section of the law that regulates water...
Texas’ Grid Holds Up During Winter Weather
ERCOT’s performance five years ago left Texans worried about the state grid’s ability to deal with freezing weather.By Arcelia MartinIn the eyes of many Texans,...
Structural biases in marine microplastics research: the underrepresentation of deep ocean and full water column studies
The distribution and fate of marine microplastics have become central concerns in ocean science, yet the literature remains strongly biased toward coastal and surface environments....
Social and environmental aspects of resource extraction of energy-transition minerals
The global energy transition is accelerating demand for critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and copper. Although essential for low-carbon technologies, the extractions of these...
‘Relief from the Nightmare’: Alabama Judge Halts Operations at a Quarry Residents Say Is Ruining Their Community
The quarry will have to meet several conditions to reopen, including moving a rock crushing area that is blanketing surrounding properties with dust, and mitigating...
Scientists finally explain Earth’s strangest fossils
The Ediacara Biota are some of the strangest fossils ever found—soft-bodied organisms preserved in remarkable detail where preservation shouldn’t be possible. Scientists now think their...
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